After seeing "The Winchesters" advertised, I immediately thought "Sam and Dean." Actually "SalmonDean" to be precise, having watched all 327 episodes of SPN, even when my Tumblr/junior high phase was past.
Then I saw a very young John and Mary and stepped back a bit. (Non-darkside SPN viewers might understand my John/Mary baggage and abuse triggers. My anger at a show in any way romanticizing the origin story and giving John the excuse of "not. My. Fault.")
---
Circling back on point, why was Jensen Ackles such a focus of the PR I half-watched floating by? The Winchesters, apparently, is using Dean as the broadcast version of click bait.
Dean on the screen without Sam or Cas. A lonely Dean. Too briefly there and sadly gone.
And yet that partial fragmented crumb from the og was the best part of a very flat hour.
---
Honestly, I'm still not sure if his appearance was just a book end, even after watching.
Will he step back to let the new spin off cast shine alone? Was this a boost and a hand off? (Ackles is apparently producing the show, so he doesn't need to appear on screen to get a paycheck-unless he wants two, I suppose.)
And if he steps back to let the younger cast shine, can they?
---
My gut feel and a quick scan of imdb says no.
They lack the experience to carry the complexity and nuance required for these characters and their ending. Burdened with the love story of two questionable parents, one especially drunk and abusive. The scars they left on their two sons, Sam and Dean both-that was a strong thread in the og canon.
True, I'll need to watch a few more episodes to give the series a fair shot, because my initial shock gave way to such visceral distaste.
---
I can, however, say objectively that the original SPN pilot grabbed you by the throat with mission and chemistry, whereas this one does not. It's soulless--and not in a good way, if you know you know.
(Side note: stop for a moment and miss Sam again. And look for the Angel while I'm at it.)
---
Worse than any critique of the cast-whom I wish well for as beginners and acknowledge might grow with experience-- there's the low quality of script provided by already seasoned writers.
For that, I have anger.
Characters and dialogue feel one dimensional. The concept bland and execution derivative.
Supernatural had a lot of flaws, but it was always original and edgy. (Sometimes even over the edge Edgy.) Remember when Supernatural's very first ET interview widely advertised as being absolutely different from contenders like "Buffy"? I do.
Yet this Buffy/Scooby wannabe mash up with pretentions of every popular show distilled in a stew-has no sense of "nerd cool" at all-and sorry writers, that's mainly on you. (Well, and the wardrobe department who seem to have no clue at all.)
---
Key on my list of disappointments I'll list showrunner Robbie Thompson, who used to be part of those og cool kids and produced my favorite episodes of SPN. (When it was og and, you know, actually ORIGINAL.)
The only positive compliments I have right now are to the musical score and the filming. Both had a texture reminiscent to me of my beloved old show.
The music was by turns fun and intense-giving some seasoning to the characters.
Editing worked. Camera guys did their best. (Lens geeks, they got you.) Some of those shots were immaculate.
Kudos to Director Glen Winter for polishing up everything he could.
And some time slid by being sad over the image of our Dean, unkempt and lonely. (Although, even in Ackles' acting, I have details to double check from the mother ship; details that look out of sync with what's engrained in my brain from before.)
---
So can I watch it? More or less. Mainly to see Jensen, hoping to see Jared, too.
Maybe let the CW pretty slide by as I have dinner.
But. But. Again.
In the end it just fell flat and lifeless. One of very few bits of SPN-related video I actually have no wish to re-watch in a fandom I've practically memorized.
Out of pure, stubborn fan loyalty, I'll hang on for a couple more weeks and hope it was just a pilot misfire. If the scripts and acting try to level up to match the packaging by the crew, this spinoff could still salvage things.
That hope and some residual trust in our idol Ackles, some hope to see Padalecki cameo, gets them above a one star for now.
But it will be a long, hard climb.
Then I saw a very young John and Mary and stepped back a bit. (Non-darkside SPN viewers might understand my John/Mary baggage and abuse triggers. My anger at a show in any way romanticizing the origin story and giving John the excuse of "not. My. Fault.")
---
Circling back on point, why was Jensen Ackles such a focus of the PR I half-watched floating by? The Winchesters, apparently, is using Dean as the broadcast version of click bait.
Dean on the screen without Sam or Cas. A lonely Dean. Too briefly there and sadly gone.
And yet that partial fragmented crumb from the og was the best part of a very flat hour.
---
Honestly, I'm still not sure if his appearance was just a book end, even after watching.
Will he step back to let the new spin off cast shine alone? Was this a boost and a hand off? (Ackles is apparently producing the show, so he doesn't need to appear on screen to get a paycheck-unless he wants two, I suppose.)
And if he steps back to let the younger cast shine, can they?
---
My gut feel and a quick scan of imdb says no.
They lack the experience to carry the complexity and nuance required for these characters and their ending. Burdened with the love story of two questionable parents, one especially drunk and abusive. The scars they left on their two sons, Sam and Dean both-that was a strong thread in the og canon.
True, I'll need to watch a few more episodes to give the series a fair shot, because my initial shock gave way to such visceral distaste.
---
I can, however, say objectively that the original SPN pilot grabbed you by the throat with mission and chemistry, whereas this one does not. It's soulless--and not in a good way, if you know you know.
(Side note: stop for a moment and miss Sam again. And look for the Angel while I'm at it.)
---
Worse than any critique of the cast-whom I wish well for as beginners and acknowledge might grow with experience-- there's the low quality of script provided by already seasoned writers.
For that, I have anger.
Characters and dialogue feel one dimensional. The concept bland and execution derivative.
Supernatural had a lot of flaws, but it was always original and edgy. (Sometimes even over the edge Edgy.) Remember when Supernatural's very first ET interview widely advertised as being absolutely different from contenders like "Buffy"? I do.
Yet this Buffy/Scooby wannabe mash up with pretentions of every popular show distilled in a stew-has no sense of "nerd cool" at all-and sorry writers, that's mainly on you. (Well, and the wardrobe department who seem to have no clue at all.)
---
Key on my list of disappointments I'll list showrunner Robbie Thompson, who used to be part of those og cool kids and produced my favorite episodes of SPN. (When it was og and, you know, actually ORIGINAL.)
The only positive compliments I have right now are to the musical score and the filming. Both had a texture reminiscent to me of my beloved old show.
The music was by turns fun and intense-giving some seasoning to the characters.
Editing worked. Camera guys did their best. (Lens geeks, they got you.) Some of those shots were immaculate.
Kudos to Director Glen Winter for polishing up everything he could.
And some time slid by being sad over the image of our Dean, unkempt and lonely. (Although, even in Ackles' acting, I have details to double check from the mother ship; details that look out of sync with what's engrained in my brain from before.)
---
So can I watch it? More or less. Mainly to see Jensen, hoping to see Jared, too.
Maybe let the CW pretty slide by as I have dinner.
But. But. Again.
In the end it just fell flat and lifeless. One of very few bits of SPN-related video I actually have no wish to re-watch in a fandom I've practically memorized.
Out of pure, stubborn fan loyalty, I'll hang on for a couple more weeks and hope it was just a pilot misfire. If the scripts and acting try to level up to match the packaging by the crew, this spinoff could still salvage things.
That hope and some residual trust in our idol Ackles, some hope to see Padalecki cameo, gets them above a one star for now.
But it will be a long, hard climb.